National Research Foundation to help India’s science driven growth

New Delhi, October 13, 2023: The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, today said that “Anusandhan” – National Research Foundation (NRF) – will unfold Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s vision for India’s science driven growth.

Chairing the monthly joint meeting of Union Secretaries of all the science ministries and departments, in New Delhi, he said the NRF will catapult India to the top league of developed nations pioneering new research in new frontiers.

An Act to set up the Foundation was passed by the Parliament in the recent monsoon session. It is envisaged to provide high level strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the fields of natural sciences including mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, environmental and earth sciences, health and agriculture.

Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Dr. Abhay Karandikar informed the meeting that he had convened the first meeting of NRF Implementation Committee recently. A draft of rules & regulations for it will be ready by next week and once finalized, it will be tabled in Parliament.

Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood said that a shortlist of names for the 16-member NRF Governing Body is also under finalization. It will include six experts, five industry representatives and one  humanities expert.

The Union Minister noted that the Executive Council of NRF is mandated not only to monitor the progress of the different projects but also to analyse the accountability of the funding at different stages. NRF will promote the culture of research and innovation throughout India’s universities, colleges, research institutions and R&D laboratories and give further impetus to clean energy research in India and Mission Innovation, he said.

He stressed that tier 2/3 institutions that will be promoted under NRF in a big way  will need hand holding so that they can absorb the funds. Eleven percent of its budget is earmarked for their capacity building. Besides, he said, the NRF will bring about sweeping changes in the work culture as the industry will have to come forward to take risk cover and await the gestation.

NRF budget envisions a spending of Rs. 50,000 crore over five years, out of which a major share of Rs. 36,000 crore (over 70%), is estimated to come from non-government sources, from industry & philanthropists from domestic as well as outside sources.

Pointing out that it will help hike the R&D spending in the country, he said the demarcation between the public and private sectors will be bridged and there will be integration. There will be Industry linkages right from the beginning, creating an optimum ecosystem for innovation, he added.

Since the scope of the NRF is wide-ranging – impacting all ministries – the Prime Minister will be the ex-officio President of the Governing Board and the Union Minister of Science & Technology & Union Minister of Education will be its ex-officio Vice-Presidents. NRF’s regular functioning will be taken care of by an Executive Council chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.